Five Times Kon Almost Told Tim He Loved Him
by greysnyper
Summary: Name says it all. Some slash. For Emma.


1. 

When Robin surrenders the remote without Conner having to say a word. The gauntlet just reaches over, grabs the item and holds it out for Conner to take; no questions asked. Especially when there's a History special on or something Conner knows Tim pays attention to. 

Robin just trusts whatever Superboy wants to watch, and for the most part, he sticks around through it.

"Man, I love you," Conner states, fondling the buttons because Jackass is due to start after commercials.

He knows immediately that he doesn't put enough emphasis into the words, though, because Tim hums and Conner doesn't sense any change in the other's body.

Conner never has the guts to assert what he really means, thinking himself more likely to pull off the stupid stunts that Bam is performing. Hell, Kon would rather do them without his abilities, then face what Tim might say.

2.

The sound is sickening, and God...all too familiar.

There's really little difference in how a femur snaps, compared to the arm. Superboy doesn't hear Robin yell this time, though. The boy's completely blacked out.

In the instant as Cyborg starts pulling Robin out of the fray (Conner using his TTK from above to give them a path), he thinks it. Robin opens his eyes, shocked and scared for mere seconds as they load him onto an ambulance, Raven trying to get through to them. Conner mentally holds Tim's limp hand and he knows that if he were closer, he would come out and say it.

Hold on, he thinks instead. It's the same thing Victor is telling Robin. It's the warning Conner gives himself on the precipice of coming so close to telling Tim the truth.

Superboy already recognizes the moment passing. It's gone again, Conner's chance. A snide voice reminds him that one day, Robin will be gone again, too.

3.

"Sorry," Tim says. "Keep talking. I'm just resting my eyes."

Conner soon discovers the lie, but he keeps talking anyways.

4.

Kon doesn't have super-hearing, which is okay. He figures that Clark is right in the promises that it will someday develop--likely when Conner is older. Conner doesn't know if he'd be able to turn it off, so it's less embarrassing for when Alvin gets up to do his business. 

It's very deep into the night and Kon's lost track of what time it is. He's been pretending to sleep but his mind won't slow down long enough for his body to say it's tired. It kind of sucks being the last team member to fall asleep. Bart had crashed hours ago and the girls' tent had eventually grown silent, too. That had left Alvin in the bushes and Conner remembering clearly how Robin had stripped off the mask over campfire.

Man, if only Kon had figured out his x-ray vision in that moment. He yawns and the tent zipper shakes quiet contemplations aside.

Instinctively stilling, Kon listens to Al do his best to quietly enter the tent. The zipper is pulled back up, boots are removed and then Al gently steps over Conner's form to reclaim his sleeping bag in the middle. Naturally, Alvin says nothing but Kon catches the small shuddering breath. If it has gotten colder out, Conner hasn't felt it.

It's likely that the temperature has dropped, judging by how quickly Alvin draws his bag over his head and kicks at the fabric with his socks for some friction. The other sniffles and exhales slowly and probably waits for the instant when the sheets catch onto his own body heat, preserving it.

Kon almost whispers an inquiry, because he knows that he's warm. Bart never has a problem with the cold because the kid just vibrates naturally to counter it. It's just awkward for Kon, aware that he may have to explain why he's still awake or, even worse, Alvin might decline any offer and then Kon's never going to get to sleep once he starts questioning what Al thinks of him, now. 

Bart hums, and then rolls over murmuring something about Kon having eaten all of his. It makes Alvin snort, impulsively choking a laugh. Kon grins, too, aware that Alvin thinks he's the last one conscious.

A few moments drag by until Kon notes the reacquired stillness of the night. His hearing isn't anything like Clark's, but it's keen enough to catch the deeper breathing from the next sleeping bag. Small nasal sounds and he occasional shiver, and it's all Kon can do to keep himself rooted.

He still can't make himself say it, even here in the dark when he's somewhat alone. He trusts that one day, when he's older, maybe it'll be easier. Or he'll let it slip and at least it will be out. Young Justice will be around for a long time, though--he can trust that.

Kon is still long from sleeping, trying to figure it all out.

5.

She jerks under him, but Superboy has the reverse knowledge of how to carry non-metas (he thinks she's not a meta) and the further he lifts them from the presence of rooftops, the more she'll have to trust him.

"I'll ask you one more time," he growls, using his TK to deflect the popping flash of something she had thrown. "Where the hell is Robin?"

"And I'll tell you one more time," she challenges, with equal gusto. "I am Robin and you're in for a lot of trouble."

They've gone in multiple circles this way. "You can't be Robin. Robin knows my name. Knows who I really am and he doesn't have boobs!"

Oh great, Conner. You just said 'boobs' in front of a girl. If the real Robin were here he would say...

No. He would have said something. The impostor had commented about the "old" Robin quitting. Tim would have _told_ Conner and...

"What does it matter to you?" snaps the girl in the costume. "I'm Robin now."

Had he gotten the chance, Superboy would have told her that she couldn't be Robin, because Conner doesn't love her.

The gruff "put her down," ruins it, though. And it's probably for the best.

--


End file.
